Pouksland (Poksraer)
The People's United Cities of Pouksland (Poukslandic= Ret Fülker Unzkrieg Troyarek por Poksrae) is one of the many nations in Mazeria, it's located on the northwestern part of Mazeria, boundering with Tribea, Holy Star and a section of Khorrenia. It is currently leaded by Maltoro Errye Korpekei , 40th president of Pouksland, succeding Dargan Yosevik Etrayek Bülgarov. Pouksland is currently constituted by 12 cities, of which Tzüche is the capital one. The history of Pouksland begins from 1187 until modern times. Etymology Poksrae ''comes from the ancient language Klevekan, spoken in the oldest districts in Graekurov. The word ''Poksrae ''means "Land of Cold Stones" (''Pok= cold stone, rae deriving from ae, which means land). When founded, Poksrae adopted the Klevekan and russian language, which then gave birth to the modern poukslandic tongue. History Founding and Colonial Times (1187-1197) The history of Pouksland begins in the year 1187, during the First Kingdom Wars (1173-1194). The Northern Kingdom of the Holy Fields of Graekurov established the colony of Poksrae in order to serve as HQ for the Royal Armed Forces, as well as a barrier town to protect the northern side of the battlefield. The colony was primarily formed by 4 initial cities: Claur, Bäess, Sevette and Tzüche. The colony has 6 registered attacks from the southern ranks of Sultan Aqueri's Forces, all of them ended in failure. The wars ended on October of 1194, with the Kingdom of Graerukov defeated. Due to this, King Buruokav VII demanded a ransom of 530,000,000 widgets; believing that the fault fell on the colony due to not being very active in the wars.. This was a rather excesive demand by the King since he thought that the fault landed solely on Pouksland. After the decree of the debt, the colony of Pouksland demanded representation on the royal court, but after many requests, they were denied. In response to this, the colony started "Ret Kampagnaya ser Otroye" (The campaign of Otroye) which consisted in unrecognition of the king until representation was given. This campaign lasted for nearly 4 years. After many failed demands to pay the debt, the king ordered the slaughter and destruction of a small village in northern Tzüche in order to pressure the colony to pay (Massacre of Münet). After the attack, groups of civilians and soldiers alike started organizing and secretly planning a revolution. At the head of it was Orelovi Drevaek , a Graekurovan trader and weapon maker whose shop was destroyed in the attack. Drevaek, along with a group of enraged civilians and guards; attacked a small Graekurovan outpost on December of 1198 (Drevaek's Charge). The soldiers inside were killed and the Graekurovan flag was torn off and replaced with "The first tricolor". To the fleeing soldiers, Drevaek shouted and demanded to let the king know that Pouksland would not be a colony anymore. Independence (1198-1214) After this, the war for independence began. Initial assaults commenced on Pouksland's docks with Graekurovan warships attacking the coastal settlements and sending soldiers to massacre the settlers (The Coastal Massacres). In response to this, Drevaek formed small armies of men which would engage the invading forces. Most initial battles inclined in favor to Graekurov. In 1204, Drevaek managed to bribe and contract mercenaries to assist them in the battle for independence. This lead to a great group of civilians, mercenaries and townsfolk to partake in a great battle on the Graekurovan embassy (Storming of the 2 castles), which lead to the capture of an immense supply of weapons, cannons, horses and armor. Pouksland was just starting. In 1210, Poukslandic soldiers manage to eradicate every Graekurovan man on the colony. Using captured warships, Pouksland invades Graekurov and takes ahold the north of the country. In 1213, Pouksland offers a ceasefire should their independence be recognized, but the king denies it and demands to exterminate everyone. Drevaek arrives on Graekurov in 1214 and leads the final assault on the Silver Palace located in Mënes. (Storming of the Silver Palace). Eliminating every guard and soldier, the soldiers reach the king's quarters and force him at sword point to sign the "Trota hur ret lavrayun por Poksrae" (Treaty for the liberation of Pouksland). The Poukslandic invaders retrieved of the ravaged kingdom and returned to their new free home. In lack of a king, Orelovi Drevaek proposes a democratic system to rule the land, with a small council of townsfolk to manage with public concern. The people select Drevaek to be the first councilman of Pouksland (At the time, the councilman would act like a president), Post-Independence (1214-1419) After Pouksland's Independence from the Graekurovan kingdom, the initial 4 cities started to expand their territory farther onto the south. Throughout the years, the remaining cities were built. The economical situation of early Pouksland was difficult, but eventually nearby empires and kingdoms accepted them as sovereign nations and trading started to shift. The newly founded cities offered large and fertile lands which increased jobs and population of the country. "The Great Expansion" (Ret Jaga Expanza) ended in 1402, reaching the borders of smaller villages in Tüy and Furrak's limits. Modernization, The Bonfire of Treason (1419-1429) The Bonfire of Treason (Ret Kyenma por Trosnya, 1419-1429) is considered the evolving event in Pouksland which got rid of all medieval elements, and led the nation onto a new age of modernization. In the year 1419, the councilman at the time, Torro Haverki was assassinated in public by a masked figure with a dagger. After the assassination, a full research was led on the nation. It was then revealed that the assassin was a member of the Poukslandic Order of Pakarik Knights; an order of knights formed after Pouksland's independence to serve as guards and the nation's army. After more researching, a conspiracy was found. A plot of the order of knights to take down the government and implement their own. When this was made public, much of the nation's people searched, captured and killed any members of the order. The search and hunt of the knights lasted 10 years. The most common way of execution for the knights was burning at the stake; many burnings took place all over the country (Hence the name Bonfire of Treason). When the final Pakarik knight, Vito Revei was executed, the order was considered disbanded and the government created an official army. In response to the dissolution of the knights, the people thought that the country had been freed of medieval elements. To celebrate this, the flag was changed on the anniversary of the execution of Revei. (The "reborned" tricolor). After The Bonfire of Treason, began a period known as The Period of Calm (Ret Termey por Kalma), in which Pouksland was free of conflict until 1840. The November Riots and Onaüa's Reign (1840-1892) In 1840, Pouksland's recently appointed councilman, Niraka Onaüa, attempted to implement a new government plan which would replace the democratic-socialist model. This made Niraka last his ruling period for 40 years. Onaüa's government was recognized for being more oppressive, and place the senators and governors above the people. Wanting to bring a radical change to the nation, Onaüa replaced the national flag with the 16 Stripes (more commonly known as Onaüa's stripes). In 1852, Pouksland was threatened by war due to the closing "Arctic Wars". Pouksland assisted in the war by sending warships to assist Keonia on the Arctic front; to the dismay and the prominent negative opinion of most Pousklandic citizens. While attempting to calm the people, the government became a bit totalitarian by seizing different businesses and privatizing them for the purpose of the production of weapons and military equipment. This made various civilians riot on the streets and threatening with a second revolution, bringing an end to Onaüa's reign. This event is known as "The November Riots" (Ret Növerne Türbak) During this time, merchants, low class workers and civilians vandalized various government buildings, demanding Onaüa's resignation and the restoration of taken businesses. Workers and civilians would don the "Reborned" flag with a darker brown and a lighter blue as a sign of protest against Onaüa's command. Onaüa was not pleased with the discomptemt of the people, to the point of increasing the excesive force of the police. In December 4th, 1854, police were forced to shoot upon an increasiong crowd of miners who protested about being forced to work overtime for the war. Things didn't go well either when on the same month, only 1 of the 8 warships sent to the war returned to Sveidy's ports on a heavily damaged state. Fortunetaly, much of the crew of the A.S. Arkenyeli (Archangel) survived and made it back, accompanied and escorted by civilian ships. After the return of the warship, the river of the docks was hit by 4 enemy mortars, alarming the surrounding civilians. The enemy nation of Abarosa had made it clear Pouksland was more than vulnerable to be attacked. Shortly after this incident, the government stated it would no longer interviene in the war. These 2 events worsened Onaüa's public reputation, and the riots continued until May of 1892; where an armed batallion of people marched to the grey mannor and demanded Onaüa's resignation. Onaüa resigned on November of the same month, officially toppling down his implementations and restoring the original government model. Onaüa was exiled and died from a fever in France, in 1778. After the near outbreak of war and the actions of Nikara, the government decided to completely revise and remodel Pouksland's governmental system. Instead of a councilman, there would be a president who would oversee a parliment and public stations. The first elected president of Pouksland was Mindo Yehara, a long time opposer of Onaüa and returning soldier from the war. The Rioter's flag (Ret Türborer Vianka) was implemented as the national flag ever since. Modern Times (1723-Present) Since the November Riots, the country took on a new system of selecting presidential candidates, forming businesses and shifted the economy for it to be less discriminating for others. Participation on other wars has been purely out of response for other attacks, and it's relations with other Mazerian countries have boosted. Only 2 mayor events have sparked since The November Riots: Poukslandic Civil War (2013) In September of 2013, the 5 southern cities of Mutve, Tüz, Toltz, Furrak and Proyat were illegally and amorally unified as the rogue nation named "Pouksropa", which had risen in response to the Second Guandmarian-Arkotzan war. The rogue nation intended to invade the northern cities and overthrow the poukslandic government; with the intention of setting an anarchy on Pouksland. Foreign intervention from Milroman, Terebithia, Azelia, Boreo, Chiramos and Communist Quinntopia II helped the official forces to repel the southern insurgence. It was revealed that long-time criminal Marco Kruvik had organized an attack weeks prior which had taken control of the 5 cities. On October of the same year, Kruvik was killed and control on the 5 cities was gained again. The Grand Conflict, The Red Battles and The 5 Days War (2104) The Grand Conflict was a series of events which involved a large part of Mazeria's nations, including Pouksland. The conflict started with the official Minkalian invasion of Azelia. During these invasions, Boreo was stroke with riots of communist groups which leaded to the creation of The Socialist Republic of Boreo. This incited for underground Poukslandic communist groups to start riots for a change in government. These riots shifted to aggressive manifestations, which turned into full firefights. These events are known as "The Red Battles" (Ret Raft Berrak). These battles achieved the kidnapping of recently appointed chief of police Karla Wardavoy, steal numerous police equipment and weapons, and eventually, manage a connection with the Minkalian government. While the firefights increased, a large communist group which was suspected to be funded by the Minkalian government took action in kidnapping president Korpekei and his family, establishing a puppet democracy which declared war on Azelia. The communist government staged a puppet attack which would spark conflict between the two nations. This is known as "The 5 Days War" (Ret Lain Svatak Berra). Conflicts between Poukslandic and Azelian forces were minimal, leading to almost 0 dead. The conflicts ended when president Korpekei was freed of his imprisonment and the responsible communist group captured. Kravan Independence In late 2014, the 4 cities of Claur, Khulus, Sveidy and Zarut united under the banner of The Federation of Kravatya, and requested independence from Pouksland. Pouksland officially accepted the request and the new sister nation was born. This meant the loss of 4 cities, as well as famous poukslandic buildings such as the National Theater. Despite this, relationships between Pouksland and Kravatya have been positive, even boosting. Geography Climate The climate of Pouksland's coast is subpolar oceanic. Regions in the world with similar climates include Iceland, the Aleutian Islands, the Alaska Peninsula, and Tierra del Fuego, although these regions are closer to the equator. Despite it's proximity to the Arctic, the northern coast remains ice-free through the winter. Ice incursions are rare, the last having occurred on the north coast in 1998. The climate varies between different parts of the country. Generally speaking, the gulf's is warmer, wetter and windier than the north's. The Central Highlands are the coldest part of the country. Low-lying inland areas in the north are the most arid. Snowfall in winter is more common in the north than the south. Pouksland's predominant biomes include Tundra, Coniferous forest and Alpine. Biodiversity There are only 800 species of insects in Pouksland, which is low compared to other countries in Mazeria. There are no native species of reptiles or amphibians in the land. The animals of Pouksland include the grey mountain bear, poukslandic caribou, the snow hare, the marbled wolf, the artic fox, the snow deer, the polar panther and the short tail badger. Marine mammals include the north-poukslandic walrus, the white seal, the Coloruss whale and the leopard seal. Many species of fish are found on Pouksland's coasts, specifically in the Pouksland gulf. Birds are also an important part of Pouksland's animal life. These include the khuluan bluebird, the black-spotted albatross, Käers and Kukunas. Whale hunting is allowed for only a week every year in Pouksland. Whale reproduction has been fully controlled by the poukslandic government in order to increase the whale population. In early 2003, a proposition was sent to the Court of Justice to decrease the number of whales hunted each year; this proposition has been rejected 3 times. Demographics Most of the poukslandic population is native to Pouksland, reaching at a 78%, In 2013, the poukslandic government said that 22% of the poukslandic population were immigrants or children of two immigrant parents. About 6% of the immigrant population come from EU, America and Australia, and about 8.1% come from Luthionia, Boreo and Azelia. The cities with most immigrant populations are Tzüche, Leviyat and Sevette. Population As shown in the list above, Tzüche is the most populated city in Pouksland. It's also the official capital of the nation, as well as the home of The Grey Mannor , where everyday politicians, diplomats, economists and other functionaries in Pouksland gather to discuss economical, political and social issues not only from Pouksland, but from all of Mazeria. Tzüche is also the most touristic city in Pouksland, due to many of it's monuments, historical buildings and reserves. Language Pouksland's official written and spoken language is poukslandic, a language descended from Klevekan; an ancient tongue spoken in Graekurov. In grammar and vocabulary it has changed very little, but due to influences from russian and germanic, has a very different pronunciation on vowels and consonants. English and Russian are compulsory languages on education, as well as secondary languages in the country Other commonly spoken languages are German, Dutch and Norwegian. Health Pouksland has a universal health care that is administered by the Poukslandic Ministry of Health (Poksrae Minyestre por Zallot) and paid for taxes (56.3%) and government funding (10.2%). Pouksland stands in top 10% in the world for healthiest citizens. Most common diseases in Pouksland are fevers and colds. Additionally, Pouksland has a very low level of pollution, thanks to an overwhelming reliance on solar and wind power, and a very high level of environmental consciousness. Religion The most predominant religion in Pouksland is atheism, with an overall 47% of the population being atheist. Poukslandics have been categorized in the following groups: * Atheists-47% * Agnostics-28% * Christians-15% * Muslims-11% * Buddhists-6% * Scientologists-3% Pouksland is a very secular country, religious attendance is very low. Politics Government The Poukslandic government is based on the idea of a Liberal Socialist Democracy. The government is structured on the following way: Parliament - Senate - Court of Justice At the base of the government is The Court of Justice (Ret Kovurte por Chustaya), where the public can go in order to propose laws or complain about them. Once there, these propositions and complaints are discussed by several judges and senators, who eventually send accepted laws to the senate in order to be discussed and published or to be rejected. The Court of Justice also serves to appeal to cases of law breaking and crimes. Over the court of justice is The Senate (Ret Zenato), where accepted law propositions are discussed by a council of 3 senators from each state. Once these laws are accepted, they are sent to Parliament in order for the president to accept them. At the top of the government is The Parliament (Ret Parkramento), where the President and the mayor of each state discuss the laws accepted by the senate and approve them. The parliament also deals with international matters. Military ''' After the Bonfire of Treason, Pouksland formed the office of the Poukslandic armada and police force (Poksraer armatar et polizyar venzaiya) to act as the official forces for the country. The office of the armada and police control everything, from foreign army settlements to public security. Every Poukslandic citizen, male and female, is obligated to serve the office for at least 2 years. 13.3% of the country's funds go to the military office; where most of it is focused on homeland bases and service forces for the Mazerian Assembly. The military has been involved in several joint-forces operations, the most expensive one being the invasion of Snow-controlled Azelia with Minkalian and Loyalist forces. '''Foreign Relations Pouksland is a member of The Mazerian Assembly, The Guandlandic-Azelian alliance and the Kravan-Tannarabian-Poukslandic alliance. These three organizations work to maintain peace and diplomatically resolve conflicts among and against them. Historically, and due to cultural and linguistic similarities, Pouksland is a Mazerian country, and it participates in intergovernmental cooperation alongside other countries. National Anthem Pouksland's national anthem, also called "On Tar Por Tvelda" (A land of beauty) was written in 1196, two years after it's independence. It was written by Wodvo Norda, a musician who lived in a cottage on the outskirts of Bodar. The anthem melody has also been used in the russian song "Ballad of a soldier". Culture Pouksland is rich in culture, both in modern and fine arts. Among the different organizations that foment and encourage arts there is The Pouksland Institute of Visual Arts (Poksrae Enschtitut por Vezelg Härtek), which also serves as an art museum, located in Tzüche. Another one is the Pouksland Palace of Music (Poksrae Palazzyi por Mosika) which also serves as a concert for the national orchestra and other artists. Tzüche is the city with most museums in Mazeria, with over 400 different museums, big and small residing in the capital. Folklore Pouksland's native culture comes from heavily influential Graekurovan culture. Graekurovan culture from pre-independence Pouksland has sparked many traditions like Fisher's day (Fayor Svata), and Pouksland's take on Christmas, The Week of Kruba-Nesmu. (Ret Kravensva por Kruba-Nesmu), where through the last week of December, every kid is given a present every day from Kruba-Nesmu, the spirit of snow. At Sunday of Kruba-Nesmu, a large feast is held on the eldest brother's home, in which the last present is delivered to everyone, a small bag of gold. There are many legends in the northern part of Pouksland; most famous being the legend of Crez-Myugar, a giant magic walrus that grants wishes to those who find a special stone. Despite being a very old legend, Crez-Myugar has attracted the attention of myth hunters and cryptozoologists after various reports of sightings of a gigantic animal seen on the coasts of Coloruss, Bäess and Claur. Another legendary creature originating from poukslandic folklore is the Hiër Vurpo (Ice Wolf). According to the old tales, the Ice Wolfs are creatures who look like wolfs but have ice spikes on their backs, while having bright blue eyes that glow out in blizzards. These creatures have been used in novels, videogames, movies and tv shows, and remain one of the most famous signature creatures of Pouksland. Literature Pouksland's literature works come from old and new. As mentioned before, the oldest known written documents in Pouksland are the 1030 years old Scripts of Origin (Ret Sretik Por Genysy), which talk about a giant manta ray which gave birth to the world on it's back, and that all events in nature are just glimpses of the territory the great manta ray is passing by. These documents are being kept in The Grey Manor for conservation and display to the public. Pouksland has also produced a variety of well known authors such as Jenme Kriossa, who published numerous works that question and analyze different historical events. His most famous work is Blood for Gold (Sünka hur Ör), which questions the errors of Mazerian nations and leaders during The Grand Conflict. There's also Kosmë Hredvog, famous science fiction writer for his novels Invasion (Enkrazyu), Carnivores (Karnetanak), Molecular Nightmare (Pesyasoña Moleker) and Nightfall (Nöner). The best-known Poukslandic author is Nobel prize winner Matta Nyurik, famous for his novel Winds of The North (Wendük por Ret Arpin), which tells the tale of a small orphaned girl named Tera and her journey through The First Kingdom Wars. The novel was praised for it's clear depiction of emotions, the impressive historical accuracy and the pace the story takes. The novel has been a best seller for 20 years. Music Pouksland has also many worldwide recognized musical artists, such as the famous band "Törpik", whose main singer Ivan Ghoreova lives in Proyat. Other famous artists include piano composer Merkhom Maverischky, who has won over 20 music awards and has over 34 different recognitions in different musical institutes from all over the world. There's also Hani Monk, famous poukslandic-japanese Volkaroini player from Sevette. Her world tours are some of the most demanded on the world and on the music business. Pouksland has a small variety of native instruments. Among them is the Volkaroini, an small oak-wood string instrument consisting of 6 strings, like a guitar which plays like a violin. The sound the Volkaroini makes is similar to that of the violin, but deeper in tone. Another is the Bear Claw Flute, an odd looking flute, almost resembling an ocarina with the blowing holes at the tip of 4 curved "fingers". According to many tourists and people, traditional poukslandic music is very similar to irish music. Media Pouksland's largest television stations are the state-run YoroTV, and the privately owned SkarjaYeni. Smaller stations exist too. Radio is broadcast throughout the country, main radio stations include Spok 3.94, Bilyan 5.23 and Tetena 9.10. Daily newspapers include Üsana Krei (Bear's cry) and Ret Poksrae Wendü (The Pouksland Wind). There are several known actors, producers and directors from Pouksland, such as Nidhiki Tumas, famous actress who starred in movies such as Hell No!, Halloween VIII and Star-split Lovers (Störtkros Lürek). Including other recognized actors are Mikhail Terrtolov, famous for his role as the infamous villain Veller Grössman in the movie saga "Under the tip" and young actress Yola Goranov, who will star as Tera in the upcoming adaptation of "Winds of the north". Famous poukslandic directors include Rosno Nevari, director of "Cry, Cry Again", "Sack Lunch" and "Deathblow". There's also Hafu Karve, director of the critically acclaimed movie franchise "Ztars". Cuisine All around Pouksland, there are different traditional dishes that can variate depending on which city they are served, some of the most famous Poukslandic dishes include: *Krëvett, fried ham croquettes filled with cheese *Stollote, onion rings with rootbeer sauce *Ztruyaek, a hot beverage made with berries and cinnamon *Teretava, traditional candy made from honey and peppermint *Ztratovizkhy, a spicy soup made with peppermint, tomatoes, cheese and herring *Muakayok, a deep-fried dough covered in sugar, popular dessert in northern Pouksland *Truvae, a sweet flavored peppermint tea *Pashrya, a peppermint herbal cake Peppermint is a highly preffered ingredient in Pouksland. Most dishes in poukslandic cuisine use peppermint due to it's minty flavor and scent. Peppermint is also the most grown herb in the country, only the finest crops are reserved for high class gourmet restaurants. These fine peppermint leafs are very expensive though, only 110 widgets for a kilogram. Coloruss is one of the most gourmet cities on Pouksland, it's streets are filled with different restaurants, food stands and cafés that offer many traditional dishes and drinks from all the cities. It's most popular restaurant "Trovyojave" is widely known across Mazeria, famous for it's Ztratovizkhy. Sports Pouksland has a large variety of sports. Mainly on 3 main sport events: The Mazerian World Cup, The Poukslandic National Hockey Team and Pouksland's native sport: Köhli. Pouksland's National football team is the Pouksland Blizzards (Poksrae Turmantak), which is one of the first teams to participate in the first Mazerian World Cup in 2014. The Blizzards had lost during the initial rounds, but fans hope the Blizzards can lift up their ranks and make it to the finals. The Blizzards have returned to compete in the 2015 Mazeria World Cup. Pouksland's national sport, Köhli, has been around since 1567, when it was invented. The game consists on 3 teams facing each other in a triangular arena. Each team consists of an attacker and a defender. The attacker's objective is to score the Köhli ball inside the opponent teams' goal, while the defender's objective is to protect the goal. Whichever team reaches 10 goals first, wins the game. Rules of Köhli: * All attacker's must wish luck to the opponents before the game starts. * When the game begins, the attacker's must be at the center of the arena with the Köhli ball in front of them. * Each attacker is given a Köhli stick to move the ball. Attackers can move the ball with the hammer end of the Köhli stick or their feet. * Attackers cannot use their hands to move the ball. * Each defender is given a Köhli stick and a Köhli shield to defend the goal. Defenders can use their Köhli stick, shield or hands to protect the goal. * Defenders cannot use their legs to repel the ball. * Whichever team reaches 10 goals first, wins the game. * If no teams reach 10 goals in the first 40 minutes, the two teams with the highest score must play against themselves to determine a winner. (Elimination) * If there are two teams with tied goals and the remaining team has the highest score in the Elimination process, the two tied teams must engage to play against the other team. (Picking) * If no teams have scored in the 40 minutes of the game, or all teams have the same score, whichever team scores first wins the game. (Sudden Death) * In Sudden Death, there are no Defenders. * Should a team break any of the rules of Köhli, that team should be considered disqualified from the game and the remaining teams must engage in Elimination. Every year, Pouksland holds a National Köhli Tournament (Aeye Köhli Tornamento) in which each city send in 6 teams to compete against the other cities. At the end 3 teams from 3 cities engage in the finale. Despite being considered separate territory from Pouksland, Kravatya still participates in the Pouksland National Köhli Tournament. Economics Pouksland is economically powerfull, due to it's succesfull exports and imports, both nationally and internationally. During it's early years, the economy in Pouksland was a weak one, due to trades only ocurring inside the country. Instead of the modern widget, Pouskland implated a bartering system, which boosted various businesses around the land. Among the various merchants in the land most traded farm products, fish, gold and sugar. During The Great Expansion many new markets opened, such as those of silver, textiles, gems, animals and Döykyato balls. However, when the country started to grow, the value that the country had wasn't enough, so a new trading system was implanted. The Widget was implanted in the year 1467, replacing the original barter trading system. The implantation of this system boosted up the country economically throughout the years. Widgets can be traded in both coins called "Deschek" (disks) and in paper bills known as "Pevek". There are 4 types of Deschek and 5 types of Pevek, they all have different values depending on size, shape and colour.